Featured: Hawaii Preparatory AcademyAlumni Review #6, Class of 2002
About the Author:
College Enrolled
Rice University
Home Town, State (Country)
Indianapolis, IN
Years Attended Boarding School
4
Activities During Boarding School
President of the Senior Class
Proctor
Disciplinary Committee
Head Tour Guide
Sports Editor of the Newspaper
1.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
The best thing that happened to me at boarding school was meeting friends from all over the world. The people I met will be my best friends and I don't think I could have grown so close to them if I were not at a boarding school and had lived with them. My friends helped me cope with problems and helped me develop and mature as a person.
2.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
I applied to 12 schools, some day schools in Indianapolis and some boarding schools. I also looked at the local public school. I think this is the best way to do it. I think people should look at all of their possible options. Deerfield was immediately my number one choice but North Central, a public school in Indianapolis, was my second over Taft, Hotchkiss, and others. I would recommend exploring all your options and having no regrets
3.) What would you never want to change about your school?
I would never want to see the size of the school get any bigger. I thought the size was ideal. Also Deerfield is located on a beautiful piece of property and I do not want to see any more devlopment on the lower level, but also anywhere else on campus.
4.) What things could be improved about your school?
I would only want the school to be more diverse, which could be accomplished through admissions.
5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
I would recommend living in Johnson-Doubleday dormitory. The most important recommendation though is to spend time on the lower level. It is the most gorgeous place I have ever seen and every afternoon of senior spring a friend and I would take our shoes off and play golf on the lower level. Also we would play frisbee or go swimming in the river. I never did this until senior year and I would encourage prospective students to take full advantage of the lower level.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s academics?
The best part about Deerfield's academics was that the classes were mostly all interpretive. The teachers did not give you a book to memorize or a set of dates to spew back to them come test time. They gave you the information but your teachers wanted your opinions of the material. I never realized how important this is until I came to college and started introductory classes that are exclusively memorization
2.) What did you like least about the academics in your school?
Since Deerfield is a very challenging atmosphere, the students are pretty competitive. For instance, before a western civilization test one student hid the study guide so no other students could use it for the test. This was a rare case, but the atmosphere is very demanding. Deerfield does not rank its students, but even so the students are driven to get good grades and better grades than fellow students.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s athletics?
I liked how the school required some form of athletics. I was never a gifted athlete, but I had great coaches and started on the freshman-sophomore basketball team my sophomore year which was a thrill. My junior and senior year I did recreational soccer and I made some great friends and had a great time. If Deerfield did not require sports, I probably would not have played.
2.) What did you like least about the athletics in your school?
Every year my school brought in 20-30 Post-Graduates, who have already graduated high school, to make the sports teams better. The PGs were mostly all for lacrosse and hockey. In fact one year five PGs were playing JV hockey, because they did not make the team. While the PGs were always extremely nice people, I feel it sends the wrong message about my school's focus and mission.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s art program?
While I never participated in the art program asides from some intro to acting classes, I always enjoyed seeing the productions. They were unbelievable. I saw a play about the Marat de Sade which probably could not have been done at a different school, and the play was perhaps the best play I have ever seen at a theatre. One of my regrets is that I did not get more involved in Deerfield's program.
2.) What did you like least about your school’s art program?
Since I was not very involved in the arts, I really have no complaints. My freshman year, there was no real video or film department, but Deerfield recently bought digital editing equipment and digital cameras. I truly do not have anything I liked least about the art program.
1.) What did you like most about the extracurricular activities offered at your school?
I liked the vast array of possible activities. What other high school has a radio station? What other school can you bring a proposal to the board of trustees and actually affect change? All students would try to be involved, because there was great pride in our school. I also learned more from the activities than from the academics, because the people involved in activities were so fascinating. Extra-curriculars were my favorite part of Deerfield.
2.) What did you like least about the extracurricular activities offered at your school?
My only problem with Deerfield was the tendency towards bulk leadership. It worked out well for me, but it hurt many of my friends. For instance, if you win a spot on student council, then you will receive many other honors and awards. Some of my friends were effectively shut out from some opportunities.
1.) What was the best thing about dorm life in your school?
Dorm life was so great. My best memories are just hanging out and doing nothing at two in the morning. While not a great academic strategy, it was so much fun to just hang out with your buddies. At Deerfield you are living with your best friends, what could be better?
2.) What did you like least about dorm life?
The worst thing about dorm life was that it did not prepare me for college dorm life too well. Deerfield's draconian visiting hours for the opposite sex are a huge difference from coed dorms in college. While at Deerfield, I had to check in with a faculty resident to visit a girl, in college they live across the hall. This huge difference was startling at first.
1.) What was the best thing about your dining arrangements?
We had sit-down meals, which were a great way to meet faculty and students. While they were painful to get dressed up for (class dress, blazer and tie), they were well worth the conversation and comraderie. Also the food was outstanding. The Sunday brunch was the best brunch I have ever had in my life. The dining hall staff was truly amazing.
2.) What did you like least about your dining arrangements?
The worst thing was that on non-sit down meals, we had walk-thru meals where you sit with whomever you want. At Deerfield certain cliques would sit at the exact same table for every meal. I loved eating with my friends, but I still wanted to branch out and meet other people, but this was tough to do at walk-thru meals. This complaint is probably a universal high school thing, rather than a Deerfield thing, but nevertheless it was an issue.
1.) How welcome did you feel by the other students when you first arrived at the school
I felt very welcome. All new students have a Green Key, who acts as an orientation leader. They are great references and great friends for the rest of your time at Deerfield. Also everyone immediately meets their advisor who is a great tool to learn about courses and academics. New students are all friendly with each other because they are all in the same situation together.
2.) Describe the level of diversity and integration of students in your school:
While Deerfield claims 30% of the students are on financial aid, I always felt like a sizable chunk of the student body came from Fairfield County, Connecticut and New York City. They tended to not be the most diverse students. They all dressed the same, spoke the same, and had the same attitude. Also most rich, white New Yorkers know each other beforehand somehow, which was intimidating for me being a Hoosier.
3.) Describe typical fun activities you did on a weekend:
I spent most of the weekend just hanging out with my closest friends in their dorm rooms or the Greer Store, the student center. Then we would go to the dances or to a movie the school was showing. It was pretty typical teenager activities, but it was so much fun because my friends were hilarious and so much fun to hang out with.
4.) What was the town like?
The town of Deerfield is a beautiful colonial village, which was great for the parents but boring for students. The nearest real town was Greenfield which is a run-down old mill town. They had a four-screen movie theatre and McDonalds and Friendly's. To get into town though you had to get a $6 cab ride. As you can see most of the social life was entirely on campus.
Weekday
| 7:00 AM | Wake up and go to breakfast |
| 8:00 AM | History class |
| 9:00 AM | AP Statistics |
| 10:00 AM | Senior English |
| 11:00 AM | AP European History |
| 12:00 PM | Sit down Lunch |
| 1:00 PM | Spanish 4 |
| 2:00 PM | Free period (hang out on lower level, go to the student center, or study) |
| 4:00 PM | Sports (Recreational Soccer) |
| 6:00 PM | Walk thru dinner |
| 7:00 PM | Meetings (newspaper or student council) |
| 8:30 PM | Study |
| 10:00 PM | Curfew for the dorms |
| 10:30 AM | Go back to studying (Deerfield was a lot of work) |
| 12:00 PM | Break to hang out with friends or group study in common rooms |
| 2:00 AM | Go to bed |
Weekend
| 10:30 AM | Wake up and grab some breakfast |
| 11:00 AM | Study |
| 12:00 AM | Go see my friends compete in athletic games |
| 4:00 PM | Hang out in student center after the games are over |
| 6:00 PM | Walk-thru dinner at school or go to Subway or Gohyang (a Korean restaurant) |
| 7:00 PM | Meet my friends in their dorm rooms |
| 8:00 PM | Go to the school's activities for the night (Dance, movie, or concert) |
| 11:00 PM | Curfew and hang out with friends in the dorm |
| 2:00 AM | Go to bed |
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